The Art of Account Management: Curiosity, Collaboration and Clarity with Thibaud Rouzaud-Danis
Thibaud Rouzaud-Danis is an accomplished digital marketing professional with over a decade of agency experience, specialised in performance-driven media campaigns focused on lead generation. He began his career managing major accounts such as Nestlé, as well as B2B clients in sectors like banking and IT, across various European markets.
With a deep understanding of audience dynamics, Thibaud has honed his expertise in SEO, local presence management, and artificial intelligence, allowing him to craft highly targeted and effective strategies for his clients.
As an account director at DAC Group, Thibaud is dedicated to fostering strong relationships with his French client portfolio, ensuring an optimal alignment between business objectives and the strategies deployed. His passion for delivering tailored marketing solutions and aligning resources with client needs continues to drive his approach.
LBB> How did you first get involved in account management and what appealed to you about it?
Thibaud> What initially attracted me to the industry was its dynamic nature. The digital world is fast-paced, constantly evolving, and requires staying ahead of the latest trends.
This continuous learning environment appealed to my curiosity and drive for innovation. In a digital agency, you’re working at the cutting edge of marketing, helping brands connect with their audiences in new and meaningful ways.
Whether it's through data-driven insights, crafting campaigns, or optimising user experiences, the tangible results of those efforts are incredibly rewarding.
LBB> What is it about your personality, skills and experience that has made account management such a great fit?
Thibaud> At work, I’m driven by a strong sense of curiosity, which fuels my desire to continually learn and explore new ideas. This curiosity pushes me to dig deeper, and find innovative solutions for our clients. I am deeply invested in the success of the brands I work with, and I take pride in delivering results that matter.
But in the end, I’m a team player. I believe that the best outcomes are achieved through collaboration. I enjoy working with talented teams, combining our strengths, and fostering a supportive environment where everyone can contribute to success.
LBB> What piece of advice would you give to someone just starting their career in account management?
Thibaud> When you start a career as an account manager, you need to fully understand the sectors, KPIs, and how to meet your clients' needs. Building trust and reliability is of utmost importance and the relationship you have with your client should be second nature.
LBB> Thinking back to some of your most challenging experiences you’ve had in your career, what do you think tends to lie at the heart of the more tense or difficult client-agency relationships?
Thibaud> When clients and agencies are not on the same page regarding objectives, timelines, or results, tension can arise. This misalignment can occur if there’s not enough clarity on deliverables, or if expectations shift mid-way without proper communication. Setting and managing expectations from the start is crucial to avoid this.
LBB> And what are the keys to building a productive and healthy relationship?
Thibaud> A good French restaurant and a glass of wine will do. I am joking, but then again, am I?
LBB> What’s your view on disagreement and emotion - is there a place for it and if not, why not? If so, why - and what does productive disagreement look like?
Thibaud> Of course there is room for disagreement and emotion at any workplace. If managed well, it can be a driver of innovation and growth. It is only with emotion and sometimes disagreement that we allow ourselves to think critically and go further.
LBB> Historically, account management has been characterised as the mediator in an adversarial client and creative relationship - what do you make of that characterisation, is there any nugget of truth in that or is it wildly inaccurate?
Thibaud> I feel that this is a bit of a stereotype, even though it may be true from time to time. In reality, the account manager’s role is to act as a bridge between the client’s needs and the creative team’s vision, but that doesn’t always mean conflict. A good joke can help.
LBB> These days, agencies do so much beyond traditional campaigns and as account management you’re pulling together creative, experience, data, e-commerce, social and more - and that complexity can often be mirrored on the client stakeholder side too? What’s the key to navigating (and helping the client navigate) that complexity?
Thibaud> Strong teamwork is essential for success, especially in complex projects where diverse expertise is needed. It's important for each team member to excel in their own area while trusting that their colleagues are doing the same.
It's only with mutual trust and respect that individual strengths can drive the collective outcome forward.
LBB> What recent projects are you proudest of and why? What was challenging about these projects from an account management perspective and how did you address those challenges? What was so satisfying about working on these projects?
Thibaud> Protolis is one of the projects I’m most proud of. The client entrusted us with their vision, and our strong relationship allowed us to build a brand from the ground up. It’s incredibly rewarding to guide a client through every stage of this journey and see their brand come to life.
While the challenges were primarily technical, given their industry and B2B focus, we invested time in understanding their unique needs and specifications, enabling us to help them achieve their goals successfully. This experience deepened our expertise and strengthened our partnership.
